About One Leaf Trading Company

You can probably say it all began years ago, while Mike was stationed in Southwest Asia during the Gulf War. One day, while filling a water truck, Mike and a fellow serviceman were invited into a local man's home for tea. They accepted the man's offer, and entered a stone/mud building where the man resided. 

His home was shabby and  unclean by American standards, but served the purpose for which it was intended.  There were very few personal belongings, and only a few pieces of furniture here and there. The man showed the two servicemen a couple of chairs and motioned for them to sit. He then disappeared for a few moments.

The two servicemen sat and stared nervously at each other, wondering if they had done the right thing in accepting the man's offer. After all, they had been repeatedly warned by higher officials not to decline food or drink, for fear of disrespecting and offending the local people.

The man reappeared, carrying a tray containing three cups. In broken english, the man said "Tea", "Drink". He then picked up his cup and took a sip, as if showing the servicemen that it was okay.

Mike put the small cup to his lips, and tasted the contents. It was very interesting.....very good in fact. The drink was somewhat like coffee, but different. The taste was complimented by the addition of some kind of milk or cream, with the sweetness of sugar.

The three men sat, drank "tea", and attempted to carry on a conversation which consisted of trading English and Arabic lessons. After a while, the two serviceman went back to work, hoping they had not been missed by their fellow troops.

Mike was struck by the hospitality the man had exhibited. Somebody who had so little, was willing to share what he had with two foreign strangers that he had never met.

It has been many years since, and the ingredients in that cup of "tea" remain a mystery to this day. Perhaps someday Mike will be able to duplicate the drink once shared by such a generous man, in a foreign land far from home. But who knows, only time will tell. 

Some of the world's best teas are made from a single, carefully plucked leaf.  Take the time to share some of the world's best tea with some unknown friends.

One world, One Leaf....

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